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Wallace, Kelly clash at No.7 in NRL trial

Wayne Heming

Brisbane's Peter Wallace and young Gold Coast hopeful Albert Kelly have been given first crack at securing their respective No.7 NRL club jumpers after being named halfback rivals for Saturday night's Redcliffe pre-season trial.

Wallace is under pressure to hang onto his starting spot from the vastly experienced Scott Prince who finds himself back at the Broncos following an ugly split with the Titans.

On the other side, the talented Kelly will be doing his best to rescue his career after having been sacked by two NRL clubs before his 21st birthday.

Prince, who's already had a hit-out helping the Indigenous All Stars to an upset win last Saturday, has been named on the bench in coach Anthony Griffin's 22-man squad.

Wallace wasn't reading too much into his first-choice selection at No.7 with young gun Corey Norman at five-eighth.

"I'll be starting on Saturday at halfback but I think everyone will get a run in the halves," he said.

Wallace preferred to describe the contest with Prince and Norman in the halves as more of a challenge than a battle.

"I suppose it is (a battle) but healthy competition is always good," said the 27-year-old former NSW Origin halfback.

There is not a great deal of difference between playing half and five-eighth these days but Wallace has a preference to wear the No.7 jumper.

If that happens it could mean Prince playing five-eighth in a similar switch to Johnathan Thurston's at the Cowboys last year.

"I've said it before, whatever is best for the team, I will do," said Wallace.

Kelly's selection is a big boost to the NSW country born youngster's hopes of scoring an NRL contract.

His NRL career was cruising along nicely at Cronulla until he broke his leg in round seven against the Cowboys in 2011.

Unfortunately he fell out with Sharks coach Shane Flanagan in 2012 and his contract was ripped up mid-season.

Wayne Bennett offered him a chance to add to his 14 NRL games at Newcastle but he was sacked by the Knights following a nightclub incident.

The Gold Coast threw him a lifeline to train with them during the pre-season with the lure of a contract if he improved his behaviour.

Saturday night's trial will also see former Brisbane and South Sydney giant Dave Taylor make his debut for the Titans in a 25-man squad which includes the club's All Star representatives Ryan James and Aidan Sezer.

The hulking James was one of the standout performers for the Indigenous side chewing out the metres against representative props James Tamou and Ben Hannant.